§ Ms. MowlamTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how much money is being allocated for the national advertising campaign in respect of social fund community care grants;
(2) if he will place in the Library the national consultancy report on which the forthcoming advertising campaign in respect of social fund community care grants has been based;
(3) how its forthcoming national advertising campaign in respect of social fund community care grants is being conducted; and if he will make a statement;
(4) if he will place in the Library the draft formats of any posters, leaflets, and so on relating to the forthcoming advertising campaign in respect of social fund community care grants;
(5) if he will be making available additional funds to advice agencies during the forthcoming advertising campaign in respect of social fund community care grants;
(6) when the national advertising campaign on social fund community care grants is starting;
449W(7) if he will make available additional funds by virtue of his power under section 32(6) of the Social Security Act 1986 in order to meet demand generated by the forthcoming advertising campaign in respect of social fund community care grants in excess of Department of Social Security local office budget profiles.
§ Mr. Peter LloydWe have no plans to mount a national advertising campaign in respect of social fund community care grants and we are not aware of any national consultancy report on this subject.
We are, however, intending to produce additional information material on the social fund, including community care grants, which will be aimed at potential applicants. Leaflet SB16 "A guide to the Social Fund" is also being revised to take account of forthcoming changes to the social fund manual guidance on community care grants. This new information material should be available to the public this summer. The costs will be met from within the Department's budget for leaflets. We do not think that it would be helpful to lay draft copies in the Library, but we shall ensure that copies of the final versions are made available.
Our intention is to provide both potential applicants and advice agencies with better information about the scheme than they have at present. There is therefore no need for additional funds to be made available to advice agencies as a result of this initiative, nor do we intend to increase the community care grants budget allocation for the current year.